WHO IS CHRIS COLTRANE?

You probably arrived at this page from my Twitter bio. Or, maybe you found your way here by Googling for “super-hot hunk men”, in which case: welcome to your dreams.

WHO I AM

I’m a stand-up comedian who tries to make friendly political comedy with a heart (if I do say so myself!). I love socialism, tax justice, libraries, and human rights, and I champion social justice and political correctness. If you do too, I think you’ll like my comedy.

Mark Thomas calls me “one of a few comedians that are the future of British political comedy”.

I like to think I go after the big subjects – austerity, neoliberalism, tax dodgers, corruption, dodgy politicians and even dodgier corporations – but with a friendly silliness. If the world is getting you down, I’ll try to give you the inspiration to carry on the fight.

WHAT I DO

I suppose the main thing I’m known for is doing stand-up comedy!

Every years since 2012 I’ve taken a new solo show to the Edinburgh Fringe. My first show was called Activism Is Fun, which Josie Long directed. In 2013 I was also in the Top 10 Jokes of the Fringe. And my most recent shows – 2015’s Left-Wing Propaganda Machine and 2016’s Socialist Fun-Times – are both online to stream for free.

This year my new show will be called Make Love and Smash Fascism. I’d love you to come see it! I’ll be doing it at the Edinburgh Fringe, as well as some dates around the country.

As well as stand-up comedy, I also make a YouTube show called The News For Idiots. It’s my one-man attempt to fix the fact that we don’t have a Daily Show or Last Week Tonight in this terrible terrible country we live in. I watch TV news so you don’t have to; I show you how the media is letting us down; I explain complicated stories using my patented world-class punchlines; and I leave you feeling like you might actually have a bloody clue about what’s going on in the world. If that sounds fun to you, click here to find out all about it!

On top of that, I also run a political comedy club in London called Lolitics, where I invite my favourite acts down to perform brand new sets, written especially for the night. The acts are encouraged to celebrate left-wing ideas, to talk with hope about how to make the world a better place, and to properly get to grips with the issues. The gig actively fights against the new wave of racism and sexism in comedy. It’s also one of the few clubs in London where rape jokes are explicitly banned. Regular acts include Bridget Christie, Nish Kumar, Stewart Lee, Rob Newman, Robin Ince and Josie Long. I even podcast the best bits of the gig, like a hero.

I’ve written for various BBC comedy shows, including The Now Show (Radio 4), Rory Bremner’s Coalition Report (BBC2), and Dilemma (Radio 4). I write a regular column for the New Internationalist, and I’ve contributed “some bullshit” to magazines including Liberal Conspiracy and Total Politics.

As an activist I have, in my time, been heavily involved in the anti-austerity group UK Uncut (hear my story here), as well as activism with Campaign Against the Arms Trade, with the pro-choice and civil liberties movements, and wth the Curzon cinema worker living-wage campaign.

CONTACT

If you’d like me to gig or write for you, I’m sure I’d love to. Email me with offers, and with compliments! I’m a comedian, and my ego requires constant stimulation. chris@chriscoltrane.com!